APC Asks: Where Did A 'Senate Presiding Officer' Get The Money To Acquire 22 Properties From?

"It is difficult to fathom how a federal lawmaker, who before his current position was an Associate Lecturer and Local Government Chairman, owns 22 high-end properties in Nigeria and other exclusive locations across the world," the statement read.

by SaharaReporters, New YorkAug 16, 2018

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has tasked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to publish its findings on the properties of "a current Senate presiding officer facing EFCC investigations".

The party said it is difficult to fathom how "a federal lawmaker, who before his current position was an Associate Lecturer and Local Government Chairman, owns 22 high-end properties in Nigeria and other exclusive locations across the world".

Although the party did not expressly say so, the lawmaker is believed to be Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who is being investigated and was detained on August 1 by the EFCC over his linkage to 22 properties.

In a statement by Yekini Nabena, the party’s Acting National Publicity Secretary, APC urged the EFCC and other related organisations to intensify efforts aimed at “investigating and recovering public funds and assets that have been stolen by public officials".

Commending President Muhammadu Buhari on his stance in the fight against corruption, the APC restated its commitment to ensuring that the country is run by individuals who have integrity.

The statement read: “The All Progressives Congress (APC) calls on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and other allied anti graft bodies to intensify efforts at investigating and recovering public funds and assets that have been stolen by public officials.

“Fighting corruption is one of the key election promises the Party made to Nigerians and we remain solidly committed and determined to achieve it.

“Our call to anti-graft agencies is imperative as we prepare for the 2019 general elections. We must check the use of stolen public funds to finance elections in this country. Again, it is important that the Nigerian electorate have the opportunity to choose from candidates that can pass the integrity and corruption test. We must ensure that we never again entrust the leadership of this great country to gang of thieves whose sole aim is treasury looting as brazenly displayed in past Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administrations.”

In the reference to Ekweremadu, the party said: “An example is a current Senate presiding officer facing EFCC investigations. It is difficult to fathom how a federal lawmaker, who before his current position was an Associate Lecturer and Local Government Chairman, owns 22 high-end properties in Nigeria and other exclusive locations across the world.

“It is our hope that the anti-graft agencies investigating this Senate Presiding officer makes public his and other corruption probe status reports so that Nigerians can know them for who they are.”

Ekweremadu was the pioneer Chairman of Aninri Local Government in Enugu State, a post he held between 1997 and 1998, and an Associate Lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Law from the University of Abuja.

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